James Kerasiotes Explained

James Kerasiotes
Office:Director of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority
Term Start:July 1, 1996
Term End:April 11, 2000
Predecessor:Allan R. McKinnon
Successor:Andrew Natsios
Office1:Secretary of Transportation of Massachusetts
Governor1:Bill Weld
Paul Cellucci
Term Start1:1992
Term End1:1998
Predecessor1:Richard L. Taylor
Successor1:Patrick J. Moynihan
Party:Republican
Profession:Newspaper Publisher
Residence:Massachusetts

James J. Kerasiotes was the director of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority and the project manager of the Big Dig in Boston during the 1990s. He was asked to resign by Massachusetts governor Paul Celucci on April 11, 2000, because of cost overruns. The Big Dig has continued to suffer cost overruns and other setbacks since then. He also served as Secretary of Transportation in the Cabinet of Governors William Weld and Paul Celluci from 1992 to 1998.

Before entering state government, Kerasiotes was publisher of NewsWest, a suburban newspaper in eastern Massachusetts, and later a director of Tab Communications, a chain of weekly newspapers west of Boston.[1] He also was involved in the creation of the monster board.

In July 2014, Kerasiotes was charged in federal court with filing false personal income tax returns.[2] He pleaded guilty on September 11, 2014, before Judge William G. Young[3] and was sentenced to 6 months in prison.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Boston Globe Online / Spotlight / Whitey and the FBI.
  2. Web site: Former State Secretary of Transportation Charged with Filing False Tax Returns. 15 December 2014. United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts.
  3. Web site: Former Big Dig chief pleads guilty to tax crimes. The Boston Globe. Milton J. Valencia. September 11, 2014.
  4. Web site: Former Secretary of Transportation James Kerasiotes Sentenced to Six Months in Jail for Tax Evasion. February 5, 2015. United States Department of Justice. October 29, 2018.